By Grace Rodriguez
“Separation” is an anxiety inducing and well-thought out thriller. The film can safely be put up against the classics. It might even give the new “Conjuring” movie a run for its money.
The suspense the movie builds is so heart-wrenching that it will have viewers at the edge of their seats.
Immediately, the film opens with Marvel-like graphics with a dark twist— they are that good.
The audience learns the drawings are creations of the main character Jeff, played by Rupert Friend.
This automatically wins over the audience and helps in creating sympathy for the unemployed and struggling artist.
A couple on the brink of separation— hence the title— can be observed constantly fighting over their daughter Jenny, played by Violet McGraw.
The sympathy the audience feels for the struggling artist and father Jeff, leave Maggie, played by Mamie Gummer, in an unflattering position. She is quickly viewed as a bad guy in the film.
When Maggie files to take full custody of Jenny, tragedy ensues and the mystery begins.
Strange things begin happening in the house. As Jeff’s life seems to unravel, a character that seems to become a rock for Jeff is Jenny’s babysitter Samantha, played by Madeline Brewer.
The cast was chosen very well. From the youngest actress, McGraw to the oldest actor Cox, every actor has their shining moment.
Once the twist is revealed one character in particular stands out.
Their fans will be excited for the end to come together to see the stellar job finished.
While the film is classified as horror, the psychological thriller category describes it best.
The film plays with viewers’ emotions in a good way. The build up of the film stands out. There is no better set-up for a successful movie than this.
It’s choice of illustrations is most noteworthy.
Even Jeff’s creepy puppets have a finesse to them that makes viewers really appreciate the art of the film.
Alan, played by Simon Quarterman, also does a great job. His role is minor and he acts like a shrink for the main character Jeff. He often provides answers that lead the audience to more questions.
His addition to the film was therefore spot on.
The only criticism the audience might take away from the film is their camera work. Often the audience is given unflattering and shaky angles— not “Blair Witch” shaky, but shaky nonetheless.
One scene in particular shows the couple and their lawyers in the courtroom hashing things out. The camera captures the lawyer’s leg shaking under the desk distracting viewers from the pressing conversation.
But to be fair, most are minor inconveniences and viewers might not even catch this.
Overall, the story is easy to follow and it is not overtly simple. The twist was one of the best twists seen in a movie in quite a while. The film is rated R but can safely be watched with teens as there are no graphic or sexually charged scenes.
Regardless, “Separation” is a must-watch for those looking for a little bit of adrenaline.